Sage has been a blast and a very happy, easy baby. She’ll be five months old next week and a chubby 14 pounds. Considering her birthweight was 6 pounds, that’s some healthy eating. At her four-month checkup, her pediatrician gave me props for producing such a “well-nourished” child.
Everything is healthy and oncourse–with the exception of her not rolling over. Sage hates ‘tummy time’ so we’ve let it slide but now she gets it twice a day whether she’s into it. I think it’s close. I can’t wait for her to actually do something so I can start rolling tape on her. She’s close to sitting on her own once propped up and has great head control. Her squeals and gigantic smiles are heartwarming. I can’t figure out who smiles first. She lights up when either Ryan or I walk in the room. Ryan said last night that he was going to miss this stage. Personally, I am really looking forward to the day she can hug me back.
I love her so much. I see her face in my head everywhere I go. I miss her when she’s not around. Even her cries melt me. Who would have thought? Certainly not me. Tenaya takes it all in stride. She guards Sage and frequently licks her. I’m usually tripping over her to get to the baby.
Taking after her mom, she does tend to watch a little too much TV but I get a kick out of watching her stare at Big Bird. To be honest, she likes music videos a lot more.
She sleeps through the night – her night. Because I don’t usually go to bed before 1 a.m. I’m not getting much sleep when she wakes at 5. But she’s so cute I can’t be upset. She’s still nursing but I have begun to supplement with formula simply because I can’t keep up with the demand. I’ve been skiing every day since Dec. 18 and there’s no way to pump enough. Speaking of skiing. It hasn’t been all that. Global warming? Whatever is it, it’s making for a mediocre start to the season. A storm is supposedly on the way but there’s only 2-4 inches forecast. Life as I have known it has not completely disintegrated. I still ski, talk on the phone, go to movies, go to dinner, surf the web. I was able to find a girl that wanted to trade a place to live this winter for babysitting. I also found a very sweet woman that runs a daycare out of her home for $5/hr. Everything just fell into place.
In four short months we’ve been to Yosemite, San Diego and Boston. The Mass. trip was for Thanksgiving with Ryan’s family. The size of a small town, his circle couldn’t get enough of her. I love that she is so loved but for me it was four days in family hell. It was non-stop ‘visiting’. As nice as everyone was, it was just too much for me. My family fits in one room on one day. That’s what I’m comfortable with.
We drove the baby around to FIVE houses on Thanksgiving Day in pouring rain. Friday, I insisted on alone time by going to breakfast with Ryan only to come back to his house to find six people in his living room passing the baby around like a show and tell object. The only time I held my own daughter was when I fed her or before we passed out at night. To some, I’m sure this is endearing. But as I’ve said before, I come from a more stoic family. They like watching me with Sage and don’t have as much interest in holding her 24/7.
I was screaming inside but Ryan wouldn’t hear it. He’s so used to that scene that he looks forward to it. Ugh. He thought I was being a wuss because I couldn’t handle it for “just five days”. He doesn’t get that even two days without ‘space” is too much for someone who gets space every day for hours at a time. And sleeping doesn’t equal space. And before we left for Mass., Ryan made me promise that I wouldn’t duck out no matter how claustrophobic or stressed I felt because he said it would be rude! There was no escape.
I want Sage to have family on both sides but there has to be a better option than what I experienced last month. Ryan’s mom, stepdad and brother will be here next month. I’m sure we’ll figure something out and it won’t be anything like Thanksgiving. For one thing, they’re staying at his apartment in SLC and Sage and I will be in Park City at my house (Ryan and I stayed in his mom’s basement over Thanksgiving). His mom is supposed to come up here to visit while the boys ski.
Sage will love spending time with her and vice versa but then I get time alone too. Best of both worlds! Her are some pics of the guest of honor :
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=pcskigal&aid=576460762382401414&pid=&wtok=G7_7N6E0nuM10W8YM3XZjA–&ts=1167889241&.src=ph

**Thanks to Babystyle.com for the killer green sweatsuit and snowflake hat in the photo above. Their stuff is soooo cute!